


Refuge

by BookLover886



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Magic, Shifter, Shifters, Slow Burn, Werewolf, Witch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:21:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27744418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookLover886/pseuds/BookLover886
Summary: A lone wolf, a man who runs from everything, finds somewhere, something, someone, he can not run from.Author's note: I am writing this to help get me back into writing. It is mean to be a low stress, unplanned writing exercise to help me get over my inhibitions.That being said, I wont post anything if it's crap, so there is some quality assurance.I hope you like it!NOTICE: I am also posting this work on my Wattpad Account by the same name.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 1





	1. Run

I ran.  
It’s what I’ve always done. I run when things get hard.  
I ran from home when things got tough, I ran from Annabelle when things got complicated, and I run from my mistakes when they become too much.  
And right now, I ran from wolves.

I didn’t mean to piss off the whole pack, honest. It just happened. I was bored, hiding under a tree from patrols in this random pack’s land I was passing through, when the opportunity to mess with them came about.  
Now listen, I haven't had much enjoyment in my life lately. Was it stupid? Of course. Was it worth it?  
_Oh, hell yes_.  
What I actually did, however, doesn’t bear mentioning. What? I said I run from my mistakes, not share them.  
Let’s just say it involved marking their territory and leave it at that, shall we?

Lucky for me I am more accustomed to running through forests than most pack wolves. All that practice comes in handy, you know? I was leaping over roots, dodging branches, swerving through the underbrush, feeling the wind rush through my fur.  
I felt alive, in some cruel, adrenaline filled way. Why is it that I only felt alive with danger on my heels?  
Probably because that’s when I would fight for it the hardest.

I was out of the pack land now, I could tell from the lack of wolf-scent that hung in the air. I was almost free. Almost.  
They still followed me, but I could tell the gap was widening as they fanned out. They were trying to herd me like some damn cattle!  
My trained stamina allowed me to keep my pace, so I wasn’t worried about getting captured. What I was worried about was how long I was going to have to run, and in what direction they were going to steer me. I had been tracking a herd of deer for a week now, and I would hate to lose the trail.  
I lost track of time while running, so lost in the act that I didn’t even notice when the random pack’s warriors turned around. I slowed to a trot before stopping completely.  
I looked around.  
I was lost.  
I wasn’t afraid of being lost. I found some of my best den-camps after being lost, after all. I was more pissed off than anything.  
I hadn’t eaten properly in weeks, and those deer were my best chance at a full meal. Not just rabbits and squirrels, but something that could actually sustain my high metabolism.

After allowing myself a few minutes to mourn my chance I got back to work.  
Step one when you find yourself lost; find water.  
You can live without food for a while, but you need water. Stilling my breath I listened carefully, tilting my head in different directions in order to try and pick up the sound of a rushing river, the trinkle of a stream, or the bubbling of a brook.  
_Niente_.  
All I could hear was the deceptive sound of the wind rustling the leaves.  
_Well, shit_. Time for method two.  
I knew I was on a mountain, I was paying enough attention to notice the elevation change, which means there must be runoffs somewhere nearby. It was early spring, so snow melting off the tops must be going somewhere. If I went down the mountain I should find a river in the valley.  
Yeah, that sounded like a good plan.

It was around noon when I started my journey downhill. When the sun began to set I started looking for a good place to camp for the night, not sacrificing my pace, of course. I was thirsty already and the idea of drinking from a snow cold river was too tantalizing to go any slower.  
Just before night fell and the sun disappeared for the day I found a fallen tree’s log that appeared to have rolled down the hill some before catching between two other trees.  
It looked good enough.  
I dug out some dirt underneath it to create a makeshift den before curling up for the night, trying to ignore my dry mouth.


	2. Water

I woke up to the sweet smell of the woods. The deep scent of the earth beneath me was comforting and warm, where the mountain air was fresh and cool with a hint of pine.  
Of all the ways to wake up, all the places, and all the times, at dawn with the sun and under a log wasn’t so bad. In fact, it made me feel invigorated and refreshed, despite the cottony taste of my dry mouth.  
With that in mind I decided it was time to get up and stretch my legs and shake out my fur before I continued my journey down mountain.

I took a more leisurely pace than yesterday, trying to enjoy the scenery of gods know where.  
I really was lost. It had been weeks since I was last near a town.  
The hike was nice, though. The forest bedding was soft under my paws, and the view was magnificent.  
I was on one side of the valley, looking over a mountain on the other, covered in pine and dotted with the odd green of leaf bearing trees. I couldn’t see the bottom of the valley yet, as the trees and a ridge blocked my view, but I could see the other side. A steep, grand mountain that I knew the sun would eventually set behind stood tall with a snow covered cap and overlooked the region.  
Come to think of it, I might be able to find a great deal of game here. With that thought in mind I felt a little bounce in my step. I might just stay.  
Provided I find a suitable water source, that is.

As I was walking, or bounding, I heard a small noise and froze in place. Cocking my head from side to side I tilted my ears, trying to find the source of the tiny noise. It was coming from a north-western direction, the way I was going and a little to the right, and it really was faint.  
It was only because of Annabelle’s training that I was able to distinguish it from the rest of the ambient noise of the forest.  
Crouching low I slowly creeped towards the noise, being careful not to startle or alert whatever was making it.  
The movements and quiet subtlety of a cat on a hunt were drilled into me, to the point I no longer remember what a wolf prowling would look like. I used this trait to my advantage, sneaking up on what was beginning to smell like a mouse.  
And there it was, just beyond a bush, a little mouse, no bigger than a baseball. It was so cute, and almost not worth eating. It would take the edge off my hunger, _maybe_ , for an hour or two, tops. Plus, look at it’s little whiskers as it roots through the ground looking for food! Just so adorable.  
I was so entranced with watching it I slipped up and shifted my foot wrong, creating a loud enough noise to alert the mouse. It paused, sniffed the air, then ran.  
I pounced after it but missed, then proceeded to try and catch it as it dodged under bushes. I leaped and yipped, finding it more of a game than an actual hunt, and followed the little creature. The poor thing squeaked for it’s life as it slipped under a tree root.  
I sniffed around it and was about to dig when I heard even smaller, fainter squeaks come from under the earth.  
The mouse was a momma! How adorable. I couldn’t possibly eat her now.  
I huffed before turning back onto my path downhill.

It was a little while before I found the ground flattening out in a sort of plateau, or ridge, and I was finally able to get a good look of the valley I had spent the last day traveling into, and it took my breath away.  
As mentioned before, there were three large mountains that really made up the valley. I was on the northernmost one, with the largest of the three being the one to the west. And down at its base was a glistening lake, a shimmering beacon of reflected light, as if it were calling to me.  
And before it, between the third mountain and the lake was a snaking line of rushing blue, barely seen between all the trees; which were turning into more leaf bearing ones the lower off the mountain you went. From this vantage point I could actually faintly see what looked to be small waterfalls of runoff along the third of the mountains; the Southernmost one across from mine.  
From my place overlooking the trees below me I could see birds flying into the lush forest’s sky, dancing where the expansive sea of blue was marred only by a few tufts of white clouds.  
The air was so fresh here, so untouched by humans, it almost made me want to cry.  
It was beautiful.  
...  
Wait, scratch that. At the south western edge of the valley was a small stream of smoke, rising and dirtying the air. I couldn’t quite see the source, but I made note to try and avoid that area, as humans, or people, were sure to be there.  
Now, with a rough mental map of the valley, I was able to continue my journey with more direction.  
With one last deep breath I took a final look at the picturesque view, coughed because the breath was too big, and made my way off the ridge.

I made it to the base of the mountain when the sun was a treebranche’s width from the top of Westernmost, the big boy mountain. I estimated I would be able to make it to the river just after sunset if I picked up my pace.  
So I did.

By the time the sun had fully hidden to the west, but before the sky was black, I could begin to hear the rushing of water, and not just the deceptive sound of leaves in the wind.  
I could camp where I was for the night, or, and my tongue really liked this or, I could travel farther to the river and camp there.  
Seeing as I hadn’t had a good drink of water for two days I decided water was more important at the moment, and continued walking at a rather brisk pace.

I made it to the river after the sky had gone black and the stars began shining. They were so beautiful, yet I paid them no mind as I dove my face into the water, taking a big gulp before pulling it out.  
It was the best water I had ever tasted, hands down. It was crisp, clean, as far as I could tell, and as fresh as you could get. Strait from the mountain tops.  
I reflexively shook my head to rid it of excess water before diving in again for more.  
I sat there longer than I should have, relishing in my accomplishment and reward, before I decided it was about time I found someplace to sleep.  
Wandering down river I looked for a suitable place to set up camp. A large tree root, an outcropping, a fallen tree like the night before, anything. What I found after half an hour was perfect, if not for one little detail.  
The river was wide. If I was fully in my human form I probably wouldn’t be able to see the other side in the darkness. However, as a wolf my eyes were more suited to navigating in the dark and I could easily see an outcropping, underneath which high flood waters in past years must have washed away.  
The problem? It was on the _other_ side of the river.  
I weighed my options. Just upstream I saw a thinner section of the river, however the water was rushing faster there.  
Yet there were some rocks sticking out of the water I could probably hop across…  
Fuck it. I’m tired, exhausted really, and that was the best place I could find, and I didn’t feel like looking any longer. I backtracked ten minutes or so until I found the place I was looking for.  
It was worse than I remember. The spacing was wide, the rocks were wet, probably slippery, and the current was strong.  
Yet I had wasted so much time already. I was doing this.  
I sat and plotted my course. If I jumped on to that large rock there first… then the one to my left I could make those other two, but where would I go from there? If I went to the one to the right I could jump to the one to the middle and make three more rocks, then a hop to the right, then I had about a 10ft gap between me and the shore.  
Yeah, I can make that, right?  
I stretched my tense muscles and shook myself out before I leapt onto the first rock.  
Success! Ok, calm down, it was just the first rock of many.  
I jumped the next one perfectly, but the one after that was small and slimy. My foot slipped and my back left paw plunged into the ice-cold water.  
_Fuck, that’s cold_.  
I shook out my leg as best I could before regaining my footing. I had to be more careful.  
I, cautiously, made my way across the next few rocks, getting into the zone. I had practice leaping from tight spots, so I could easily apply that particular skill here.  
I found myself at the last jump, the one that would lead me to the riverbank. It looked like a smaller gap when I had my paws on the other side.  
I peered behind me. No use turning back now.  
Crouching, ready to pounce, I mentally calculated my trajectory, then jumped.  
I mean, I made it. But my back half didn’t quite do it.  
My hind legs seeped into the rushing water, allowing the cold to leach away my body heat. I could feel the current trying to pull me away from shore, but I was able to dig my claws into the rocky riverbed and propel myself forwards.  
Once all four paws were on dry land I shook my fur out, yet I continued to shiver. I had only been in the water for about 5 seconds but already I had a loss of feeling in my paw pads.  
But I was on the other side! I had made it, and I was alive. So I gotta keep moving.  
One shaky foot after the other I went downstream until I found the outcropping from before. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was the perfect cover. Curling up in the earth I tried to lick away the remaining cold from my bones before the bubbling river lulled me into a restless sleep.

I woke up groggy, unsure as to why I was awake. It was still dark out, black as midnight, and yet I was awake.  
I lifted my head and sniffed the air, and heard faint grinding of stones from upstream. The same moment I smelled what had woken me up.  
Pack wolves.  
I couldn’t tell how many there were, but I could smell them. Luckily I was downwind and hidden in my little alcove, but I wouldn't be for long.  
I had to run. Again. So that’s what I did.  
I leapt from my cover and darted away from where the wolves were, running like my life depended on it, because really, it did. I could hear them take off after me but I paid them little mind as I ran along the riverbank.  
One of them howled and a shiver, not from the cold, ran down my spine. If I had to guess that wolf was calling in reinforcements.  
Was I on their land? I didn’t smell a heavy wolf scent when I got here, so I thought I was in the clear. And yet there was a distinct smell of wolves unified by a pack bond chasing me down.  
I thought of turning inland, away from the riverbank, but that was probably going deeper into their land. Not to mention I could hear wolves running alongside me just beyond the treeline, their large figures melding into the darkness.  
I pushed myself to run faster, trying to come up with a plan. But before I could I saw movement up ahead.  
They were flanking me! Trying to corner me, trying to _capture_ me. They must be. I couldn’t let that happen.  
I stopped running, wolves gaining on me on all sides, closing it. Getting closer and closer and closer as my breathing started to pick up.  
I went the only direction I could allow myself to go and did something so stupid, so suicidal, Riccard would probably laugh.  
I launched myself into the river.  
I barely paid mind to the startled barks of the wolves as the frigid water engulfed me. My plan was to swim to the other side, but as the seconds ticked by that was becoming less and less likely.  
The cold was draining me of energy, leaching deep into my bones until I could no longer feel myself kicking my legs to stay afloat. I didn’t even notice the wolves gathering and yipping to me from the shore.  
Everything was fading as I felt myself being swept away by the current. The cold numbed me to the point I could barely feel myself collide with a large rock obstructing the flow of water. I barely felt myself get pulled under the rushing rapids, and I didn’t feel it when my head hit a rock, reducing my world to inky blackness.


	3. Waking

The first thing I became aware of was warmth, which was strange because the last thing I remember was the cold waters of death. I relished in the warmth as awareness slowly came back to me.  
The second thing I became aware of was an ache sunk deep within my bones, as if my own body was rejecting the warmth, rejecting being alive.  
The third thing I became aware of was noise. A soft, rhythmic beeping. The soft pop and crackle of a wood burning fire and the scent of smoke got my mind turning, albeit slowly.  
 _Smoke… smoke…_ the last time I saw smoke I was looking over the valley. Oh, right! The valley I was traveling into looking for water. Cold, refreshing, frigid water.  
 _Wolves.  
Smoke, people_!  
My eyes flashed open in a panic. I didn’t know where I was, my heart rate increasing with the beeping.  
I was in a room, what looked to be a cabin judging from the wooden walls, and could see a wood stove burning across from me. A kettle sat atop it, some steam already streaming out of it; it was going to start whistling soon.  
I was laying on a bed, no, a cot, and I was covered in a thick, heavy woolen blanket.  
Beside the cot was a cart of sorts filled with what looked to be medical supplies.  
Was I… in an infirmary? Of sorts?  
I tried to move but everything felt so sluggish, and that’s when my front left leg started splintering with pain. A whine left me without my permission.  
I was blinking back tears that were threatening to spill when I heard muffled voices coming my way.  
I panicked. This was bad. Very bad. The room was so thick with the scent of disinfectant that it was a wonder I could even smell the smoke, but beneath that I could faintly smell wolf.  
Either I was in an infirmary in the heart of packland, or I was at some middle-on-no-where veterinary clinic that specializes in wolves and wolves only.  
Judging from the events of… looking to the blinds the sun was shining, so, last night, I was most likely in packland after they captured me from the river.  
I was in deep shit.  
I thought of running, obviously, but the only exits were a window and a single door, behind which I could hear footsteps getting closer.  
The kettle started screaming as I could hear my blood pumping through my ears at a deafening pace.  
I was panting, trying to catch my breath as the door swung open to reveal a man.  
A... smiling man?  
He had long black hair, which had streaks of different colours weaved into multiple little braids, beads and baubles decorated these braids to add a chaotic look. He wore loose fitting clothes, torn at the edges, in neutral browns and greens, and a very ornait looking robe that looked both out of place on his person and like it was never meant to be anywhere else.  
He also smelled funny. Not much like a wolf, although that scent was still hanging off of him.  
The man carried a teapot in one hand, and three mugs in the other, saying a quiet “oh,” as he rushed over to the crying kettle. He placed his items on a small table before silently getting to work filling the teapot.  
Cinnamon wafted through the air as the steam lifted it from the tea. It calmed me.  
“I hope you like chai, it’s a particular favorite of mine.” The man said, his back still turned to me.  
Was he stupid? Leaving your back turned to an unknown wolf, a lone wolf, was very dangerous. It left you wide open to an attack. He was either very strong, or very stupid.  
He didn’t look particularly strong. Then again, I guess neither did I. It's not like I really posed a threat at this point in time.  
I just growled at his back in lieu of a response. He only chuckled and turned to look at me.  
“I know this must be very confusing for you. You tried valiantly to escape the pack, even jumping into Hearty. I gotta admit, I haven't heard of anyone being quite that desperate.”  
I stared at the man before attempting to get up again, causing him to lurch forwards and me to growl, both in pain and as a warning. It caused the man to pause and take a step back to lean on the table, folding his arms over his chest.  
“I wouldn’t move if I were you. You broke your arm in Hearty. I stabilized it, but I wanted to wait until you were awake and shifted to put a cast on you.”  
Again, I growled, but this time at the idea of shifting. He seemed to pick up on it.  
“But I guess you don’t have to shift quite yet, I haven't even introduced myself. I’m Dr. Ailanthus, the pack's temporary physician. I usually assist Dr. Amelia Richardson, but she’s on maternity leave.”  
I didn’t really care. I was mostly waiting for an opportunity to run, or… limp, out of here.  
“Well, we have a few more minutes till the tea is ready and you need to shift, so why don’t I just chat for a bit and you can listen, ok?”  
He must have taken my silence as affirmation.  
“Ok, then. I’ll catch you up to speed on your situation. You are currently apprehended by Pack Iverbed. You are going to be held and asked questions as to why you had wandered into our land. You can’t exactly go anywhere until you are healed, so! Mr, sorry, _Alpha_ , still getting used to that, Alpha Charlie had said that as long as you don’t pose any risk to the pack you can stay here until you can leave on your own.  
“But that’s if, _if_ , you cooperate. Otherwise… well, they’d have to kick you out of pack land as you are.”  
They were just going to let me go? That’s… unexpected.  
“However, Alpha is going to be here any minute to talk to you personally.”  
I heard footsteps coming towards the door.  
“Quite unusual, I know. It’s nothing usual for rogues and outsiders to enter on the Hearty side of our land, either.”  
The footsteps approached the door and knocked before leading a man, one with a very large presence, into the room.  
He was tall, but not unnaturally so. He had broad shoulders and was thick with muscle and neatly trimmed dark hair.  
Him just standing there made my instincts want to cower in fear.  
However, as he was clearly an alpha, he was not mine, and I had no obligation other than my own self interest to listen to him. So I laid there in my pitiful position and held my head up high.  
“Hello, rogue.” His voice was calm and smooth with a rumbling undertone. And yet, although he spoke softly, there was a threat in his voice. This was a man who had something to protect, something big, an entire pack, and I was a potential threat.  
“I would like to speak with you. Please, shift so that I may assess you.”  
He said please, but he was not asking. I almost gave in, obeyed his command, but I was strong enough to resist.  
I did not bear my teeth in a growl, nor did I threaten him in any way as I had done the doctor. I showed my defiance the most respectful way I could think of doing in that moment; I lifted my head slightly and looked him right in the eyes.  
Here’s a tip, don't challenge an alpha. How do you challenge an alpha, you ask? You look them directly in the eyes.  
He stepped forward, growing at my display, and put more command into his voice. “Shift.”  
Instead, my gaze shifted to the side without my permission at his show of strength.  
I did not lower my head.  
Dr. Ailanthus cut the tension by handing Alpha Charlie a mug of tea saying, “I left it black, I know you don’t like sugar in your tea. Here,” then came and sat a matching mug on the side table next to my cot. The mugs had little trees on them.  
The alpha sighed and took a small sip, I assume to just be polite, then handed the mug back to Dr. Ailanthus, who interrupted the alpha’s next words with a smile on his face as he sat the drink on the table.  
“I’m sure Mr. Rogue here doesn’t mean to be rude, he just doesn’t feel secure enough to shift. Why don’t we ask him yes or no questions?”  
Alpha Charlie looked as though he wanted to sigh, but held it together to keep his image strong. “I… _suppose_ we could try that.”  
The doctor smiled to himself and drank some of his own tea.  
“So, Rogue,” the alpha began, “let’s start at the beginning. Why did you get kicked out of your old pack?”  
 _How insulting_ , I thought, _to assume I was_ kicked out _of my pack_.  
I laid there and huffed at the alpha, hoping to get my annoyance across.  
“Were you kicked out because you attacked, harmed, or killed a member of that pack?”  
Again, I huffed.  
“Were you kicked out because you lost a challenge against the alpha?”  
I huffed yet again.  
“Damn it, Rogue, answer! Were you kicked out because-”  
“Perhaps…” the doctor interrupted, “perhaps you weren’t kicked out at all?”  
I rolled my eyes and nodded my head.   
Alpha Charlie shot the doctor a defeated glare, to which the doctor just smiled and said, “did you leave on your own?”  
I mean, yeah, I did leave. Seems like a personal question, though. However I wanted to cooperate, so I slowly nodded my head.  
Dr. Ailanthus’ smile widened as he gave the alpha a smug look, to which Alpha Charlie gave a defeated one in response.  
The alpha took a moment before continuing with his questioning.  
“You are remarkably sane for a rogue wolf. You must be fresh out of pack. How long have you been wandering alone?”  
I just blinked and stared at him. I didn’t want to answer, which was fortunate as I couldn’t in wolf form.  
“One bark for weeks, two for months, and three for years,” he continued.  
I didn’t feel like fighting my way out of a pack. Especially with one broken leg.  
I just let out a growl of frustration before complying with three angry barks.  
Dr. Ailanthus whistled, as if completely ignoring my tone, and said, “years, huh? And to not be feral? You must have remarkable will power.”  
I ignored the compliment, wondering if he was mocking me or not. The alpha seemed skeptical of my answer, but berraled on.  
“And in these _years_ you have been rogue, have you ever terrorised or killed members of a pack?”  
Well, I didn’t know how to answer that. Terrorised? Of course. How else was I supposed to have fun. But killed? Well, it’s complicated. Technically, yes, I have, but I maintain my innocence.   
My silence was creating tension, so I responded with a slow back and forth sway of my head in what I hoped was a ‘kinda’ way.  
The alpha did not like that.  
“Well, what is it?! Have you killed or not?”  
I growled yet again. The alpha was beginning to lose his composure, and I wasn’t willing to be spoken to like that.  
I left my pack for a reason.  
I wander alone for a reason.  
And I killed pack wolves for a reason.  
Just as he would kill to defend, so would I. And I was not willing to let this hypocrisy go.  
The things I wanted to say to him, the desire to shift and spew venomous words, to defend myself, was immense. But I held back.  
In human form I am weaker; I don't have claws and I don't have deadly teeth. I’m smaller, slower, and don’t have my honed agility as a human.  
I am stronger as a wolf.  
So I let myself bite my tongue and growl, holding my form.  
Which honestly wasn’t so difficult, as shifting with a broken bone is far from fun.  
The tension in the room was rising as I growled and the alpha stared me down with a commanding aura.  
I could tell he really didn’t appreciate my defiance, but fuck it all, I defy him. He has no right to command me, I am not of his pack. Sure, I’m on his land, but not exactly willingly. I didn’t even know I was crossing their border.  
Which raises the question, how did they know I was there? I didn’t smell the border path wolves would patrol, meaning no wolves would regularly patrol that area.  
This whole thing seemed entirely unfair so I stood my ground. Well, not literally as I was laying down, but I made myself as threatening as I could while in my position.   
It was when Dr. Ailanthus interrupted that the tension went down some, but only a little.  
“Ok, I think we all just need to cool off for a moment. We don’t want to start a fight, now.” His hands were up in a placating position and his voice was soft. However the Alpha seemed not to hear it.  
That is, until a few moments later when Alpha Charlie seemed to relax, without lowering his guard of course, and said, “under no circumstances is the rogue to be left alone. I’ll send one of the successors soon.”  
And with that he turned and left the room, closing the door not quite softly, but not without excessive force either.  
Seconds passed as the two of us left in the room stared at the door in silence, before the doctor clapped his hands and turned to me.  
“Well, that could have gone worse. But I am sure it could have gone better, as well.”  
My gaze finally slid from the door to look at the man before me. He seemed to be high standing, due to the way he was able to speak to the alpha and command the situation, however he didn’t seem like a wolf.  
Something about him was strange, actually a lot about him was strange. I just couldn’t quite figure him out.


	4. Casting

“Now,” Dr. Ailanthus began, “I suppose it’s time to address the elephant, or I suppose wolf, in the room.”  
My ears perked up in anticipation to what he was going to say. Was he going to address his position in the pack? Maybe explain how he was able to calm an _alpha wolf_ in a protective rage, or at the very least the buildup to the rage?  
But no, what he said was far from what I wanted to hear.  
“So!” he clapped his hands together, “time to shift, hey?”  
I looked at him like he was insane. Did he not just hear the conversation I had with the alpha? I was _not_ shifting.  
“Oh come on, please?” he continued after seeing my expression and defiance. “It’s just the two of us here. Look, your leg needs to have a cast on it. I have a splint on it now, but that’s just a temporary fix. You _need_ a cast.”  
I continued to stare in silence.  
“Do you want to continue the rest of your life with an arm that doesn’t heal right?”  
I mean, he made sense. I should shift and get my arm taken care of. But that was unsafe. We may be alone now, but Alpha Charlie said he was sending a successor to watch me.  
A successor in pack life is someone who is part of the next generation to lead the pack; be it head warriors called the betas, thirds in command called gammas, other officials in the pack with the rank of delta, members in prominent professions like the head cook or doctor, and even the alpha, all had successors.  
Successors are subject to change, but since once you are named a successor, often by birthright but not necessarily, you enter training befitting your position and are given the honorary rank of what you are succeeding, thus you are treated with the respect such a position holds.  
Consequently I wasn’t too thrilled to shift while a successor was on their way and would soon barge into the room, I assume much like the alpha did.  
Dr. Ailanthus seemed to sense that.  
“Ok, if you won’t shift I _guess_ I can put a cast on you as a wolf. However there are two things you’ll need to know.” He straightened his back and held a finger into the air. “Number one, I’m not very practiced at putting casts on canines. Humans, sure, but not wolves. I can’t promise your arm will heal perfectly.”  
A doctor, even a stand in doctor, who doesn’t even know how to treat wolves? Who _was_ this guy?  
“Now for number two!” He held two fingers in the air, “you won’t be able to shift with a cast on, so no shifting until you're fully healed. That’s at _least_ one month, just so you know. In the best of cases.”  
 _One_ month!? _How badly did I break it_? Judging from the amount of pain I knew it was bad, but I didn’t think it was _that_ bad.  
One month may not be bad to a human with a slight fracture, but shifters heal at approximately twice the speed humans do. Judging from what I’ve seen back during my time with Annabell’s people, my leg should be healed in a few weeks, not over a month.  
 _This guy really is a stand in physician_ , I thought.  
He seemed to sense my doubt, or read it in my expression as I wasn’t trying to hide it.  
“I’m telling the truth! And that’s _with_ my skills and regular checkup sessions with me. You're not feeling it now, you have me to thank for that, but you really damaged your arm there. It’s going to take some time to heal.  
“Which is _why_ it was such a generous offer from Alpha Charlie to let you stay here until you’re good to go.”  
It _was_ a generous offer, all things considered. Kinder than I would be in his situation.  
A random rogue wolf wanders into your land and in the process of running from your warriors gets injured. Would you seriously show that wolf, even one who was _fleeing_ , such consideration?  
I wouldn’t. I would question the hell out of the wolf. Demand to know everything about them until I have enough information to pass judgment.  
A very generous offer, indeed. It made me wonder if it was too generous, if the alpha had an ulterior motive.  
It may be pessimistic, but it was how I stayed alive. Assume and prepare for the worst but hope for the best. It’s how my clock keeps ticking.  
If the alpha was planning something it would be wise to stay as a wolf, be uncooperative with his unknown plan. Do what they say to stay alive, but do not shift. Spend this over-a-month limping around pack land, or in a cell, always being prepared for what will be thrown my way.  
Or I could hope for the best. Shift, cooperate, and trust that these strange wolves with their weird doctor were going to keep their word and let me go.  
Yeah, because that seems likely.  
I wanted to know where I would be staying, who would be watching me and when, and what was up with Dr. Ailanthus. I had so many questions but no way to ask them.  
I was considering _considering_ shifting just to ask them, when new footsteps walked up to the door and knocked.  
Dr. Ailanthus called out a gentle, “come in,” before the door swung open revealing a boy who must be in his late teens, at the very least five years younger than me.  
He had a goofy smile painted onto his freckled face, and had a messy draping of dirty blond hair covering his forehead and whisking down his neck. He spared me a quick glance before addressing the doctor.  
“Hey, Arion!” His voice wasn’t too deep; it was soft and cheerful. Smooth would be a good descriptor.  
“Hello, Alain. Did your father send you?” The doctor, who’s full name has been revealed to be Airon Ailanthus, spoke calmly.  
It was as though neither of them fully grasped the gravity of the situation with me there. I was under the impression they should be stern and serious, not casual and friendly. So far, the only person in this pack I’ve met who behaved properly was the alpha.  
Speaking of the alpha, did Dr. Ailanthus say ‘father?’  
Alain smiled and said happily, “yep! Told me to watch the rogue, and to escort them to where they’ll be staying as soon as they’re ready to go.”  
Dr. Ailanthus sighed and said, “unfortunately our new friend here won’t be good to walk until tomorrow. That is unless you shift?” The last sentence was directed towards me.  
I growled in response. This caught Alain’s attention.  
“What, the big bad lone wolf doesn’t want to shift?” I growled again, which only seemed to make the successor laugh.  
“Well if you're not going to shift that means you don’t need this!” Alain said as he launched forwards. I flinched in a reflexive way to try and get into a battle stance, only to falter and crumble into myself in pain.  
Meanwhile, Alain just scooped up my untouched tea from the side table and took a sip, sighing.  
I growled in pain, irritation, and embarrassment as Dr. Ailanthus scolded Alain for taking my tea, as if he actually expected me to shift and drink it. They were completely ignoring me!  
“Oh! Are you alright?” Dr. Ailanthus asked when he finally noticed my current state. I gave a pained noise in response.  
“Ok, let’s get you fixed up. Are you going to shift for us? Or risk it staying as you are?”  
That was an odd way to put it. I believe shifting would be the true risk, not the other way around. Unless, of course, he knows something I don’t.  
But that was irrelevant. The facts were that I was in a strange pack’s land and wounded. They held all the cards, and they wanted me to shift, probably so I would be less of a threat. That was reason enough not to.  
I let the silence drag on until Dr. Ailanthus got the hint.  
“Alright then. I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but it is your decision.” His expression wasn’t trying to hide the fact that he was unhappy, however I was glad to have him agree so readily so I paid it no mind.  
“Alain, if you’re going to stay here I could use your help.” Dr. Ailanthus continued, which didn’t put my mind at ease.  
Alain put the tea down and sprung into action doing as the doctor said, grabbing things from here or there as instructed and putting the supplies on the side table as the doctor finally addressed the beeping, disconnecting me from a heart monitor.  
“Ok, then,” said Dr. Ailanthus. “Let’s begin.”  
He started by removing the makeshift splint, making sure to keep the bones aligned. He then came at me with a trimmer and I growled in defiance.  
He was _not_ going to shave my leg. I’m too pretty.  
Sighing, and grumbling under his breath, he put the trimmer down and proceeded to wrap some padding-like material around my leg; quite tightly I may add, but he agreed to leave my fur alone so I wasn’t going to complain.  
I didn’t want to push my luck with him.  
Dr. Ailanthus then began putting what I believed to be the actual casting material around my broken limb. As time went on my leg began to feel warm, hot even, but I bit back my desire to express my discomfort. It wasn’t worth it. I also had to maintain my impression of being a tough rogue wolf.  
At least, I hoped that was the impression I gave off…  
The whole process of getting a cast put on was more uneventful than I would have expected. But still, it didn’t take too long.  
“Ok,” began Dr. Ailanthus. “This should finish setting up soon,” he said, gesturing to the cast. “I would ask if you have any questions, but…” he shrugged.   
“Actually,” Alain jumped in from where he was quietly watching, lending a hand here and there. “I was thinking about that. Why don’t you just connect him to the mind link? Then he could talk to us.”  
Mind what? What were they talking about?  
“I certainly _could_.” Dr. Ailanthus’ voice was slow and tentative.  
“Then-”  
“But then he could hear all of our communications. All of our pack movements, all of our schedules, he would have access to all of it.”  
“Oh. I didn’t think of that.”  
Although he couldn’t be more than five years older than I am, Dr. Ailanthus was able to give such a fatherly look to Alain I actually felt a slight pull on my heart.  
Meanwhile, I was still intrigued by this ‘mind link’ concept. Was it really exactly as it sounded? Was there some sort of link between the minds of the pack members that allowed communication while in wolf form?  
And if that was so, was this doctor the source of this ability? Or just the manager?  
If I had access to this ‘mind link’ I could find out this pack’s true motive, find out how much danger I was truly in and if I could escape on my own.  
But how?  
“Well, now that that’s cleared up,” Dr. Ailanthus began, “on to the next point. Our rogue here has to stay overnight to make sure his cast hardens up nicely before he can walk on it.”  
Alain looked taken aback. “But Dad said-”  
“I know what he said, however these are doctor’s orders.”  
Alain looked down and muttered, loud enough for any wolf to hear, “that's not how you get on his good side.”  
Which I found odd, considering how the alpha behaved around the doctor. I had assumed they were on very good terms with the way Dr. Ailanthus had calmed the situation.  
Dr. Ailanthus seemed not to take note of the words and went around the room tidying up the materials he had used. The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence; Alain standing aback lost in thought, Dr. Ailanthus oddly quiet, seemingly refusing to accept the atmosphere in the room, and me, unable to speak.  
The silence was broken with Dr. Ailanthus approaching the door and announcing, in a kind voice, “I need to go check on Successor Willia, please excuse me.” He then swiftly opened the door and left, closing it softly behind him.


End file.
